Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!-Chapter 140: A Small Price

Cassius leaned back on his stump, wiping Skadi's lingering kiss from his cheek with a smug, satisfied grin as she clutched her precious battle notes like a lifeline.

His eyes then flicked up, sweeping over the knights still gathered in a stunned, buzzing circle around him. Their gazes darted between awe and unease, locked on the bundle of papers in Lucius's hands—a stack of meticulously crafted secrets that promised to elevate their skills beyond anything they'd dreamed.

He then raised a hand, pointing lazily at the bundle as his grin widened.

"Oh, don't think I forgot about the rest of you." He said, his voice light and teasing. "I've got your papers ready too, every last one of you...Right there with Lucius."

The knights heads snapped toward the stack, a collective gulp rippling through them as their eyes widened.

They wanted it—gods, they wanted it bad.

Those notes were power, survival, a chance to face down threats that would've buried them before. But the memory of Skadi's sultry lick flashed in their minds, and a bad feeling twisted in their guts.

They knew Cassius—knew his games and the cost was coming.

Sure enough, his smirk turned devilish as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"But just like Skadi did..." He said, his tone dripping with playful challenge. "...if you want your papers, you've gotta give me a kiss too. Gotta make up for all that distress you caused me earlier, doubting me like that. Broke my poor heart, really."

He clutched his chest in agony, his eyes glinting as the crowd erupted in shock at what he was asking for.

"What?!" A knight near the front yelped, her voice cracking. "A kiss? Another one?!"

"He's shameless!" Another hissed, clutching her sword like it could fend off the suggestion. "Those notes are worth a fortune and he's trading them for kisses?!"

Aisha's tail lashed, her eyes blazing as she stormed forward, planting herself between Cassius and the knights.

"Don't you dare take that deal!" She snapped, her voice sharp with indignation. "He's a hooligan—a damn pervert twisting this into some sleazy trick!"

"...You don't need his scraps—you'll get stronger on your own, later, without selling your dignity to him!"

She turned towards Julie, her glare demanding backup.

"Captain, tell them! Order them not to do it—he's taking advantage of them, and you know it!"

Julie stood silent, her arms crossed, her gaze dropping to the ground as a storm of conflict churned behind her eyes.

She hated it—hated the idea of Cassius preying on her knights, turning their trust into a game.

But those notes...They weren't just scraps.

They were a lifeline, a way to sharpen every blade, to drop the mortality rate that haunted her sleepless nights.

One kiss—a fleeting price for a guarantee that fewer of her sisters would die in battle?

So, she swallowed hard, her voice low and strained. "It's...Their choice, Aisha." She said finally, avoiding Aisha's incredulous stare. "They can decide what they want to do."

Aisha's jaw dropped, her fluffy ears fluttering in disbelief.

"What?! Captain, you can't be serious!" She sputtered, reeling back. "You're letting him get away with this?!"

The knights shifted uneasily, caught in a tug-of-war between temptation and pride. They eyed the papers—those tantalizing stacks of power, then glanced at each other, their faces full of longing and hesitation.

"I want it." One muttered, biting her lip. "But I can't just give in..."

Another shook her head, her voice tight. "I've got a husband back home...Ican't just go kissing some lord, no matter how good those notes are."

That sparked a voice from the crowd—a sturdy knight with auburn hair, stepping forward with a frown.

"Master Cassius." She said, her tone firm but nervous. "Some of us can't do that. I've got a family —a husband, kids. Kissing you...It wouldn't be right. It'd feel wrong, and it'd be bad for them, for me. Can't you ask for something else?"

Cassius tilted his head, his grin softening into something almost harmless as he waved a hand.

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"Relax..." He said, his voice light. "I'm not asking for anything wild—just a kiss, that's all. Look at me—I'm the youngest one here, barely an adult, right? It's not like it's some grand betrayal."

"...Think of it like...giving a kid a peck on the cheek. No big deal, no harm done."

The knights blinked, their murmurs shifting as his words sank in.

"He's...not wrong." One said slowly, glancing at him.

"He's what, nineteen? Barely out of boyhood." Another nodded, her frown easing.

"Yeah, when you put it like that...It's not like kissing some lecherous old man. He's just a kid, really."

The mood tilted, their reluctance softening as they sized him up—his youthful face, his easy grin, the way he lounged like a cocky teenager despite the power he'd shown.

"Maybe it's not so bad." A knight mused, her voice low.

"A kiss for all that? That's a steal." Another smirked, her eyes glinting.

"He's pretty handsome up close—wouldn't kill me to peck him once." A third laughed, leaning closer to her friend.

"Did you see him yesterday? That power he threw around. I was actually kinda turned me on, not gonna lie. A kiss might be worth it."

Hearing this outrage, Aisha's ears flattened, her dismay mounting as she caught their whispers.

"Are you serious?!" She hissed, spinning to face them. "You're actually buying this?! He's playing you—don't fall for it!"

But the tide was turning.

The auburn-haired knight who'd spoken up hesitated, her resolve wavering as she glanced at Cassius, then at the papers and then with a sigh, she stepped forward towards him until she stood right in front of him.

"Fine..." She muttered, her voice tinged with shy reluctance. She then bent down, her eyes darting to his face—closer now, she couldn't deny he was handsome, all sharp jaw and mischievous charm—and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

Chu!~

Her lips lingered a heartbeat longer than she meant, soft against his skin, before she pulled back, her face flushing as she straightened.

Cassius grinned, tilting his head as he met her gaze. "See? Not so bad, was it?" He teased, his tone warm.

She ducked her head, a shy nod her only answer as she murmured.

"No...guess not." Up close, his charm hit harder those pretty eyes, that easy confidence and as Lucius handed her the papers, she walked away clutching them, a faint thought flickering: That...felt kinda nice.

Skadi, still buzzing from her own exchange, clapped her hands, her tail wagging as she jumped in.

"C'mon, why're you all hesitating?!" She called, her voice bright and insistent. "Kissing Master's great feels good, and you get this!" She waved her notes like a trophy, grinning wide. "Don't miss out—it's worth it, trust me! Line up already!"

Her words—coming from their fierce, battle-crazed Fenrir lit the spark they needed. The knights exchanged glances, their doubts crumbling under Skadi's eager push.

"She's right." One muttered, stepping forward.

"If Skadi's cool with it..."

Another followed, then another, until they were crowding Cassius one by one, their hesitation giving way to a mix of nerves and excitement.

Aisha watched, her dismay morphing into outright horror as the line formed.

"No-No way!" She choked, her voice rising. "Even Skadi's betraying me?! You're all insane!" She spun to Julie, pleading. "Captain, do something—they're falling for it!"

Julie's sigh hung in the air, her gaze still locked on the ground as the knights resolve wavered and then cracked, their longing for those precious battle notes outweighing their initial shock.

And just like that, one by one, they shuffled forward, drawn to Cassius like moths to a flame, their hesitation melting under the weight of Skadi's encouragement and the promise of power.

The scene unfolded into a line forming around the tree stump where Cassius sat, his grin widening with every step they took. Lucius stood beside him, clutching the bundle of papers like a proud herald, his chest puffed out as he handed them out with a flourish.

Most of the knights approached timidly, their faces flushed with embarrassment as they bent down, pressed a quick, silent kiss to his cheek, and darted off with their notes clutched tight.

"There done!" One muttered, her voice a hurried whisper as she scampered away, her cheeks blazing.

"Not so bad." Another said under her breath, snatching her papers from Lucius and vanishing into the crowd.

Their kisses were fleeting, chaste—a peck and a retreat—leaving Cassius chuckling softly as he watched them scatter.

But not all were so quickly and shy.

A few lingered, their boldness turning the exchange into something more intimate, each moment a spark that flared under the crowd's stunned gazes.

Like with young knight, her light hazel hair tied back in a messy bun, her wide green eyes glinting with innocence as she stepped up. She fidgeted, her hands twisting together as she looked at Cassius, her voice trembling with nerves.

"Um...Young Master." She said, barely above a whisper. "I...I don't know how to kiss. I've never —um—done it before. Could you...help me?"

The crowd softened, a few cooing at her shy confession, while Cassius's grin turned gentle, almost tender.

"Of course...It would be my honour." He said, his voice low and warm as he beckoned her closer. "Now, come here now...Don't be scared."

Hearing him call her, she edged forward, her blush deepening as he reached out, his hand brushing her cheek with a featherlight touch.

"Just relax." He murmured, guiding her down until their faces were close, his breath warm against her skin. He then tilted his head, pressing his lips to hers in a slow, loving kiss—soft, chaste, but lingering just enough to make her heart stutter.

His fingers lingered on her jaw, steadying her as he pulled back, his eyes glinting with a quiet warmth.

"See? Easy."

She stumbled back a step, her face a furnace of red as she touched her lips, a dazed smile breaking through her embarrassment.

"Oh...Wow." She breathed, her voice shaky but awed as Lucius handed her the papers. "T-Thank you..."

She hurried off, her steps light, the crowd murmuring their approval at the wholesome exchange— "So sweet!" "Look at her blush!"—as she disappeared into their ranks, clutching her prize.

Next came a bolder figure—a tall, raven-haired knight with a swagger in her step and a glint of mischief in her dark eyes. She strode up to Cassius, her armor clinking faintly as she planted herself before him, her lips curling into a smirk.

"Heard all about you, Young Master." She said, her voice husky and teasing. "Those lustful tales—seducing every woman who crosses your path, rocking their worlds with those so-called skills in bed and I've been dying to test it out myself." She leaned closer, her breath hot against his ear as she added. "I want it on the lips—full passion, no holding back. Impress me. Right here, under everyone's eyes."